India thrashes Pakistan to reach Under-19 World Cup final

India's win sets up a final clash between the tournament's only three-time champions. Australia won the title in 1988, 2002 and 2010 while India triumphed in 2000, 2008 and 2012.

AP

20:08 UTC+8, 2018-01-30
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AFP

India's Shubman Gill celebrates scoring his century during the U19 World Cup semifinal against Pakistan at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand, on January 30, 2018. India won by 203 runs.

India will meet Australia in the final of cricket's Under-19 World Cup after overpowering Pakistan by 203 runs in a one-sided semifinal in Chirstchurch on Tuesday.

Shubman Gill made an unbeaten 102, his sixth score of 50 or more in youth one-day internationals, as India made 272-9 at Hagley Oval. Then seamer Ishan Porel took 4 wickets for 19 runs as Pakistan was bowled out for 69 in just under 30 overs.

It was the Pakistan youth team's third-lowest total on record, underlining the batting woes of a team that failed to score more than 200 during the tournament in New Zealand.

India's win sets up a clash in Saturday's final between the tournament's only three-time champions. Australia won the title in 1988, 2002 and 2010 while India triumphed in 2000, 2008 and 2012.

Australia reached the final when it beat Afghanistan by six wickets in their semifinal on Monday.

India is unbeaten in New Zealand, with five convincing wins from five matches, including a 100-run win over Australia in the group stages.

Meanwhile, England Under-19 captain Harry Brook was dropped for the final match of his team's World Cup campaign on Tuesday in the latest disciplinary issue to hit English cricket.

Vice captain Will Jacks took over from Brook and led England to a 32-run win over New Zealand in the playoff for seventh place.

In a statement, the International Cricket Council said England confirmed Brook had been dropped for "a disciplinary matter, but are yet to disclose a reason".

Brook had scored a century and two half centuries at the tournament, to average 119.5.

In recent months, England allrounder Ben Stokes has been charged with affray after a brawl outside a Bristol nightclub in September. Wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow oddly greeted Australia batsman Cameron Bancroft with a headbutt at a Perth nightclub early in the Ashes tour of Australia.

Ben Duckett, a batsman for the second-tier England Lions, was fined "the maximum allowable amount" and issued with a final written warning after a pouring a drink over senior England bowler James Anderson.